if i find the bugger who reversed into my car!...

nickyjellybaby

kona wrote: »

if you mess it up, you tried, learned somthing, and will only cost €30 as you are going to get a new one anyways, you could save yourself a fortune.
a modern bumper i guess will come in at €200, then paint then labour, could cost a fair whack, professional body repair aint cheap!!

yeah it is pricey..and maybe it'll make the person guilty as hell seeing me repair it...

If I go to sell the car next month I should still tell the person buying it what happened shouldn't I ? not that I'd try sell it if it looked like Marla on the back bumper of course! but if it turned out ok who's to know??

kona

nickyjellybaby wrote: »

wow, thats a great help, thanks so much. I have some of the stuff here already apart from isopon but I'll get that. Mini's only come in one shade of red so that should be easy to find an exact match

Cutting compound? Whats that?

I presume I should paint the whole bumper not just the bits that have been filled in?

depens on how big a mess the bumper is!!! its up to yourself!! you may need a laquer too if the paint is a metallic.

if you are just goint to paint the damage, use masking tape and newspaper to cover the good paint, but expose a bit of good paint, as it will blend it better.

cutting compound blends in the edges of new/old paint.

ask in the motor factors exactly what isopon to use, i know those modern bumpers are polymers, so im not sure how hard they are, best to go easy on the sanding to avoid gouging the good bits!!

as for selling it, i wouldnt bother saying anything unless they notice it, it isnt a structural part, nor a mechanical part, granted they absorb energy in a crash but i wouldnt say anything as some people make a big deal of things and they will think that you got rear ended or somthing.
is it a cooper or a one???

another point, im used to doing this on crappy british steel, the primer you need will be a special bumper primer, as the paint may not stick to the polymer.

nickyjellybaby

cantdecide wrote: »

OK,

can't you get plastic bumpers PLASTIC welded these days

quickly googled http://www.hotairtools.com/how_to_weld___.htm

Kona, doesn't it still seems pretty involved for DIY?? Will you get a good result after the expense and effort?

hot air gun would just melt it, wouldn't it, not fill in the indentations though...

I'd still give the repair a bash though, i might even - dare say - enjoy it
(if the feckin cold would ease off!)
My mum repairs wheelchairs and stuff all the time, I think I'll get her help

nickyjellybaby

kona wrote: »

depens on how big a mess the bumper is!!! its up to yourself!! you may need a laquer too if the paint is a metallic.

if you are just goint to paint the damage, use masking tape and newspaper to cover the good paint, but expose a bit of good paint, as it will blend it better.

cutting compound blends in the edges of new/old paint.

ask in the motor factors exactly what isopon to use, i know those modern bumpers are polymers, so im not sure how hard they are, best to go easy on the sanding to avoid gouging the good bits!!

as for selling it, i wouldnt bother saying anything unless they notice it, it isnt a structural part, nor a mechanical part, granted they absorb energy in a crash but i wouldnt say anything as some people make a big deal of things and they will think that you got rear ended or somthing.
is it a cooper or a one???

Its only a ONE but she's well cared for... until now

Ok, I get you on the cutting compound, its a blender... will go easy on the sanding and use a really fine wet paper on the finsh

No, the paint isn't metallic, its matt. It looks really well when its been waxed though

But I did get rear ended, just wasn't in the car at the time... feckin feckers

kona

cantdecide wrote: »

OK,

can't you get plastic bumpers PLASTIC welded these days

quickly googled http://www.hotairtools.com/how_to_weld___.htm

Kona, doesn't it still seems pretty involved for DIY?? Will you get a good result after the expense and effort?

ive a classic mini and , the one thing british cars do best is rust, i used it on the rear valance and on the boot floor and the plate that holds the hinges. very awkward, BUT i took my time and it turned out great, you really wouldn't notice it. if it wasnt perfect i'd have got it done professionally as, the price of classic minis these days i huge, i dont want to wreck the car.

the way i look at it e30 and it looked new.
or
e400 and chancing the skills of a welder, or else rust will return.

nicky you will know if it was your neighbours car as , nobody will do work on it untill next week at the absoloute earliest, so im sure youl see their car between now and then.
when you do photograph it(if it was involved) then talk to the neighbour.
as for "welding" plastic, im sure you could melt plastic onto the bumper, but this is a pro job as you need tools, space, have to remove the bumper(gravity will do it worst here!!)

nickyjellybaby

MCMLXXXIII wrote: »

Once your neighbor comes home check to see if their car is scratched. If it is, well then we have our man. If the car is okay, then probably not. However, if it doesn't return for a couple of days, it could have been repaired in the shop already.

thats what I'm thinking...

MCMLXXXIII wrote: »

If it isn't cracked it should be very inespensive to fix.

its too dark to tell outside but from the pics its just a load of deep scratches and a circular dent in the side

MCMLXXXIII wrote: »

If push comes to shove and you don't get help form anyone...what's to say you don't just park it on a public road for an hour and then call the Gaurds and report the mysterious accident. It might help you find the person or get an insurance claim, but it might not be worth the risk. It's up to you.

I already called the station and the insurance company though... the ins company have logged the problem
Although I wouldn't care what I had to do if I thought it was going to help me out... set the thing on fire even! (ah no only messing!)

nickyjellybaby

kona wrote: »

ive a classic mini and , the one thing british cars do best is rust, i used it on the rear valance and on the boot floor and the plate that holds the hinges. very awkward, BUT i took my time and it turned out great, you really wouldn't notice it. if it wasnt perfect i'd have got it done professionally as, the price of classic minis these days i huge, i dont want to wreck the car.

the way i look at it e30 and it looked new.
or
e400 and chancing the skills of a welder, or else rust will return.

nicky you will know if it was your neighbours car as , nobody will do work on it untill next week at the absoloute earliest, so im sure youl see their car between now and then.
when you do photograph it(if it was involved) then talk to the neighbour.

yeah you're right, 30 euro and some patience and see what happens

But it happened yesterday, thats the only thing. it could be getting repaired now and if they parked it off side to get it fixed next week I won't be any the wiser...
I did photograph a neighbours car which the whole side was scratched and has primer on it but it's purply blue so thats not it...

cantdecide

nickyjellybaby wrote: »

hot air gun would just melt it, wouldn't it, not fill in the indentations though...

I'd still give the repair a bash though, i might even - dare say - enjoy it
(if the feckin cold would ease off!)
My mum repairs wheelchairs and stuff all the time, I think I'll get her help

How to weld plastic
The following pages contain detailed information on how to weld plastic. The examples given are in regard to car bumper repair,

I think the materials will cost a lot more.

If the bumper is squashed and cracked you may end up re-forming its shape by using twice it's weight in fillers and never achieving more than a bodged repair. It's very possible that the aerosol paint will not have the exact shade and you are pretty much stuck with it. you could gt overspray all over the car, there could be invisible damage to the mounting brackets....

OP If the bumper isn' badly damaged, a panel;beater might only cost €200 to fix it correctly.

If you successfully repair the bumper I'll shake your hand. It's not impossible, but the odds are against you.

You could look for specialist breakers in the UK for a complete bumper in the correct colour.

Are you sure there's no damage/ warping to the rear quarter panels??

cantdecide

nickyjellybaby wrote: »

yeah you're right, 30 euro and some patience and see what happens

But it happened yesterday, thats the only thing. it could be getting repaired now and if they parked it off side to get it fixed next week I won't be any the wiser...
I did photograph a neighbours car which the whole side was scratched and has primer on it but it's purply blue so thats not it...

Maybe you know a panelbeaters cos if they're car comes back repaired- a panel beater will know by looking.

How old is their car?

nickyjellybaby

cantdecide wrote: »

I think the materials will cost a lot more.

If the bumper is squashed and cracked you may end up re-forming its shape by using twice it's weight in fillers and never achieving more than a bodged repair. It's very possible that the aerosol paint will not have the exact shade and you are pretty much stuck with it. you could gt overspray all over the car, there could be invisible damage to the mounting brackets....

OP If the bumper isn' badly damaged, a panel;beater might only cost €200 to fix it correctly.

If you successfully repair the bumper I'll shake your hand. It's not impossible, but the odds are against you.

You could look for specialist breakers in the UK for a complete bumper in the correct colour.

Are you sure there's no damage/ warping to the rear quarter panels??

well, i've to hear from the insurance company, maybe there is accidental cover like the FBD quote above but have to wait til MOnday to find out
I'll get a quote to have it repaired, a friend of my dads has a panel beating place off Bolton Street so it won't hurt to have him quote me for the repair
then I can see what I should so...
Its only the drivers side of the rear bumper, the rest is perfect

Eventhough its dark I checked out the car and there doesn't seem to be any other damage anywhere

DAylight might make me madder though...

nickyjellybaby

cantdecide wrote: »

Maybe you know a panelbeaters cos if they're car comes back repaired- a panel beater will know by looking.

How old is their car?

em, I think its a 02/03 VW polo or golf
I'll photograph it anyway..

I've been going around the estate photographing every dark car like a nut case

kona

cantdecide wrote: »

I think the materials will cost a lot more.

If the bumper is squashed and cracked you may end up re-forming its shape by using twice it's weight in fillers and never achieving more than a bodged repair. It's very possible that the aerosol paint will not have the exact shade and you are pretty much stuck with it. you could gt overspray all over the car, there could be invisible damage to the mounting brackets....

OP If the bumper isn' badly damaged, a panel;beater might only cost €200 to fix it correctly.

If you successfully repair the bumper I'll shake your hand. It's not impossible, but the odds are against you.

You could look for specialist breakers in the UK for a complete bumper in the correct colour.

Are you sure there's no damage/ warping to the rear quarter panels??

depends on what material the bumper is fibreglass, cant be beaten back to shape, by heat, dolly and block , nothing, you can just fill.
however im sure some polymer bumpers probably could be worked.
if you take your time, read instructions twice and prep right then there is not reason why the repair wont be good

at this time of year, they will be lucky to have that car repaired in the next 2 weeks, there will be a back log of cars booked in during x-mas, while the bodyshops were closed.

nickyjellybaby

kona wrote: »

depends on what material the bumper is fibreglass, cant be beaten back to shape, by heat, dolly and block , nothing, you can just fill.
however im sure some polymer bumpers probably could be worked.
if you take your time, read instructions twice and prep right then there is not reason why the repair wont be good

at this time of year, they will be lucky to have that car repaired in the next 2 weeks, there will be a back log of cars booked in during x-mas, while the bodyshops were closed.

thats true, and a lot of people arent back to work til MOnday... I'll keep my peepers peeled. I'll check the main road outside too incase its coincidentally parked out of sight...

as for the repair, the last thing I want is a botched job, it'd take away from the whole car but in fairness I'd be v careful if I was doing it and get a quote first just in case it's only a few quids worth for a pro

rage has slightly subsided... time to go to the garda station and show it off

kona

nickyjellybaby wrote: »

thats true, and a lot of people arent back to work til MOnday... I'll keep my peepers peeled. I'll check the main road outside too incase its coincidentally parked out of sight...

as for the repair, the last thing I want is a botched job, it'd take away from the whole car but in fairness I'd be v careful if I was doing it and get a quote first just in case it's only a few quids worth for a pro

rage has slightly subsided... time to go to the garda station and show it off

being honest i wouldnt waste the petrol going to the guards, they will uninterestly take out their lil note book and take deatils, then say ill be back to you(hes really talking about his doughnut)
if you do go, get the badge number of the guard.

nickyjellybaby

kona wrote: »

being honest i wouldnt waste the petrol going to the guards, they will uninterestly take out their lil note book and take deatils, then say ill be back to you(hes really talking about his doughnut)
if you do go, get the badge number of the guard.

yeah i know what you mean

well i'll just ask for the ban guarda down there that i went to school with...
and if she's not in, I'll tell them to take me seriously - i am a pole dancer
hahaha

A woman reversed into me once, while I was sitting in my car and gave me a bit of a jerk but only scratched the front of my car slightly... when I went to get out she drove off!! so I quickly followed her and took down her reg but lost her at the lights.. I was livid.. went to the police station but because the damage was negligable they didn't do anything, not even a bloody phone call even though they could check who she was... this seriously got on my wick...

ballooba

I got hit last year in a similar incident. I did up flyers and distributed them around the neighbours. Two witnesses came back to me out of around 50 houses. Not a bad response. I got the guy in the end and the repair bill was €1700 total. It's well worth the effort.

250882

Don't bother with the gardai, they arent interrested. My brother parked his car in sligo and when he came back the rear quarterpanel had been pushed in, silver paint left on it and everything. He went to the gardai and they told him there was nothing they could do. He went back to the car park and asked a couple of the local shopkeepers if they had seen anything and one of them told him they had seen the accident and that it was a silver avensis with L plates had reversed into the side of his car, they even had the number plate. He went back to the Gadrai and when nothing happened after 2 weeks of ringing them every second day he went looking himself and found the car in a local housing estate, back light and bumper damaged, correct number plate and no tax or insurance. Nothing ever happened and he ended up paying for the repairs himself

Just get it fixed yourself it will be less hassle(maybe install a tow bar for next time;))

craichoe

I'd say give it up ..

Even if you find the person that did it, its your word against theirs. Unless you SAW them do it theres nothing the gardai can do.

Without CCTV footage or a Witness there is sweet FA you can do in the eyes of the law.

If it was malicious and not an accident, i would park the car in the same place again and wait in the bushes with a video camera :P

ballooba

250882 wrote: »

Don't bother with the gardai, they arent interrested....

I beg to differ. Donnybrook Garda were very helpful to me as soon as I got the details of the car that hit me. They basically told the driver he could do things the hard way or the easy way. I had no interest in having him charged so they just got him to settle with me. I was lucky because I had witnesses.

craichoe

Exactly, if you have a witness or you saw it happen yourself then your grand .. none and your screwed.

ballooba

craichoe wrote: »

Exactly, if you have a witness or you saw it happen yourself then your grand .. none and your screwed.

I only found witnesses because I spent three days chasing the b@stard. They didn't find me, I found them.